Home
by xTheTwilightPrincessx
Summary: Twilight Princess. Oneshot. After a long adventure, Link is finally going home.


**Not my best ever, but still cute.**

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Nintendo. Song belongs to Chris Daughtry.**

* * *

  
_I'm staring out into the night  
And trying to hide the pain  
I'm going to the place where love  
and feeling good don't ever cost a thing,  
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain_

The sound of Epona's hooves was the only thing Link could hear. They slowly made their way as night fell across the field, shrouding it in darkness. "Come on, let's stop here for the night." Link said, more to himself than to the horse as he climbed off her back. He made a small fire, and took some bread out of his bag. "Last night I'll be eating bread for dinner." He muttered to himself with a small smile.

When he had finished, he laid back with a sigh and looked up at the stars. Zelda had invited him back to the castle, but he hadn't felt quite up to it. All he really wanted was to sleep in his own bed, in his own little town. And besides, he hadn't been able to get a certain girl out of his mind.

_  
I'm going home to the place where I belong  
where your love has always been enough for me  
I'm not running from_

_No, I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
So I'm going home _

He hadn't seen her since she had gotten her memory back. What relief he had felt that day…he was so scared that she would never get it back, never be able to remember him. His best friend…but he had realized she was more than that. To him, at least. She had been with him all his life, the first friend he ever had. He didn't have a single memory of his childhood that she wasn't in.

"Ilia." He whispered. It took him a moment to realize he had said it out loud. Epona neighed happily, as if she recognized the name.

Of course, he could never forget Midna. She was the closest to a best friend he'd ever had besides Ilia. He would always miss her. But, as he realized with surprise one day, he would never love her as anything more than a friend. And Zelda…she was beautiful, without a doubt, but he barely knew her. However, Ilia…

He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face. He was going to see her.

_  
The miles are getting longer it seems  
The closer I get to you...  
I've not always been the best man and friend for you  
But your love remains true and I don't know why  
You always seem to give me another try _

Link awoke the next morning, feeling well rested despite the hard ground he slept on. He packed up his few belongings and jumped onto Epona. If he rode her without stopping, he figured he'd reach Ordon by noon.

The road seemed to stretch on endlessly, never stopping. But finally, he reached the last field, and could see the trees that marked the start of Faron woods. With a grin, he picked up the pace. The field was bigger than it had appeared though.

Somewhere around the middle of it, Epona stepped in a rabbit hole and twisted her ankle. She neighed loudly, and Link quickly hopped off to inspect it. It wasn't that badly hurt, but Epona was limping, and Link realized with dismay that she wouldn't be able to go any further that day. He groaned in frustration and sat down in the middle of the road. He bound Epona's hoof in a cloth and let her graze on the thick green grass.

"Oh well." He said with a sigh. "Tomorrow."

_  
I'm going home  
To the place where I belong  
Where your love has always been good enough for me  
I'm not running from_

_No, I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old _

He held the horse call in his hand, turning it over and inspecting all sides of it. It was beautifully carved, and had obviously taken Ilia quite a while to make. Epona was staring at him, almost willing him to play it. Link obliged, and Epona neighed happily. It was a beautiful melody.

After kindling yet another small fire, he leaned back and rested his head on the soft grass beneath him. It was slightly damp with dew, but he didn't mind. It reminded him of his childhood…of lying on the fields of Ordon with Ilia at night, looking up at the stars together. He closed his eyes, and suddenly remembered the very last time he had done so. It was only a month before this whole adventure had started…

_  
Be careful what you wish for  
Cause you just might get it all  
You just might get it all_

_And then some you don't want_

"Look, Link!" Ilia said softly, pointing up at the sky. A shooting star made its way across the night sky. Link and Ilia both closed their eyes and silently made a wish. "I wish we could see the rest of Hyrule, go exploring, maybe even meet the Princess." Link thought, looking over at Ilia. "Together." He added as an afterthought.

Apparently, the goddesses had ignored the "together" part, and sent Link off on his own. But none of that mattered right now, because he was going to see her soon. He was going home…

_Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it all  
You just might get it all _

Epona's hooves clip-clopped through Faron woods, and Link smiled as he passed through the familiar forest. He was so close now…only a few minutes away…

Before he knew it, Epona was carrying him across the bridge that connected Faron and Ordona. Rather than continuing straight though, he turned left into the place where he knew she would be.

Ilia stood in the spring, the water lapping gently at her ankles. When she heard the hoof beats behind her, she turned around slowly and looked at Link. She looked as if she wasn't sure whether he was really there or not…whether he was solid or a cruel trick her mind was playing on her.

She stepped forward hesitantly as Link dismounted and stretched a hand out to his face. Her hand connected with his cheek, and without another moment's hesitation, she flung herself into his embrace. He lifted her off the ground and spun her in a circle, both of them laughing gleefully. He put her down, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their eyes locked, and neither looked away as both leaned forward and their lips connected.

He was home.

_  
I'm going home to the place where I belong  
Where your love has always been enough for me  
I' not running from_

_No, I think you got me all wrong  
I don't regret this life I chose for me  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
But these places and these faces are getting old  
I'm going home  
I'm going home_

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**There ya go. Again, not my best. Review please. :)**_  
_


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